Chapter 2 Amnesia "Her husband is very handsome."
In the dead of night, the eerie howls of wolves pierced the valley from above the cliff. It had been raining all day, and the moonlight was hidden behind the dark clouds.
Below the cliff, Ruan Yang was covered in scratches, blood was flowing from her forehead, and one of her legs appeared to be broken. Ning Xian noticed her breathing, looked up, and realized that she was probably stopped by the pine trees on the cliff, which was why she was still alive.
Ning Xian gripped the crossbow in his hand and aimed it at Ruan Yang's heart.
"Your Highness, please wait!"
A servant dismounted and rushed to Ning Xian. He took out a jade pendant with two fish broken in half from his pocket: "Your Highness, this was found on this girl just now."
Ning Xian took the translucent jade pendant from his hand. He recognized it as the personal item of Lu Wenjin, the military commander of Shu Prefecture. The double fish jade pendant usually comes in pairs and is often used as a token of love.
"Your Highness, this woman should be the second young lady of the Ruan family, General Lu's fiancée."
"It's her?"
Ning Xian glanced at Ruan Yang with some disdain. Blood was gushing out, and her face was completely covered by her black hair. She looked extremely disheveled.
He had long heard that Lu Wenjin had a childhood sweetheart fiancée whom he doted on, and the two had been engaged long ago.
Lu Wenjin was Ruan Xishan's prized student. He came from humble beginnings and only rose to the position of commanding a local army thanks to the support of the Ruan family.
This man was brave and skilled in battle, with numerous military achievements, and had made great contributions to Ruan Xishan.
Without his troops, Shu Prefecture would be nothing but an empty shell, and would be taken in less than a month. However, this man is a lackey of the Ruan family, and no matter what conditions are offered, he will never surrender to his command.
The battle of Shuozhou is not yet over. Lu Wenjin is still on the front line and is leading his troops to advance step by step towards Lizhou, which can be described as a fierce attack.
If we can use Ruan Nu to coerce Lu Wenjin at a critical moment, thus delaying the Shu army, and wait for my uncle to quell the war in Lingnan, then we can all join forces to deal with Shu Prefecture, our chances of victory will be much greater.
Raindrops the size of beans fell, washing away the bloodstains on the mountain. Ning Xian glanced at the unconscious Ruan Yang and said, "I want her alive."
......
Ruan Yang was taken back to a secluded estate.
The temperature here is not as damp and cold as in Sichuan and Chongqing. Here, the shadows are sparse, the stream is clear and shallow, and the fragrance of flowers floats in the courtyard. It is a good place to relax and rejuvenate.
There was no one else within a ten-mile radius, except for Ning Xian's trusted confidants who served him here, making it a secluded paradise.
Ruan Yang lay in bed for almost a month. Before waking up, she was awakened by a nightmare.
She gasped for breath, clutching her chest to calm herself down. She found herself lying on a clean and simple bed, with dried jasmine flowers filling the pillow, emitting a sweet fragrance. She lifted the gauze curtain and walked to the bronze mirror.
In front of the yellowish mirror was a completely unfamiliar face. Her head was wrapped in bandages, and her body ached terribly. Ruan Yang tried to recall, but her mind was blank.
She seems to remember nothing.
The interior is elegant, and outside the window is a small bridge and flowing water, a unique view. This must not be an ordinary family home.
"Madam, you're awake!" A maidservant saw her get out of bed and immediately came over to help her.
Upon hearing this form of address, Ruan Yang was taken aback. Had she already become a married woman?
Who are you?
The maid wasn't surprised that she seemed clueless. She smiled and explained, "My name is Lan Rong, and I am your personal maid. This is the young master's private residence. A few days ago, the madam accompanied the young master on a spring outing. Halfway there, the horse got spooked, and you fell off the cliff with it. The doctor came and said that you hit your head and don't remember some things."
"Then who am I?"
Lan Rong quickly replied, "You are the daughter of a hunter's family in this area. Your surname is Du and your given name is Heng. Don't worry, although the lady doesn't remember the young master, he has always been very fond of you and has sent letters to inquire about the lady even when he is not around."
Ruan Yang frowned and rubbed her dizzy head. She had gotten a husband in a daze, and it seemed that he was a mistress who couldn't be brought into the open.
Fragments of memories kept flashing through her mind: a rainy day, corpses strewn everywhere, and a man trying to kill her. These images kept Ruan Yang from getting away with it. She tentatively asked, "What about my husband? Can I see him?"
Lan Rong smiled and said, "Of course, young master is taking a rest in the backyard right now."
Ruan Yang slowly walked to the backyard with his cane. A rattan chair was placed under the shade of flowers and vines. A young man in white was reclining in it, his elbows lazily supporting his head, his eyes slightly closed.
Ruan Yang couldn't help but bite her handkerchief. Her husband was quite handsome, thankfully not some old man over fifty.
Most importantly, he is completely different from the vicious and bloodthirsty man in the nightmare.
She quietly walked over, mustered her courage, and poked the man's slightly open chest: "...Husband?"
After several unanswered calls, Lan Rong felt a pang of worry for her. Even if this Ruan woman was indeed His Highness's mistress, she shouldn't be so presumptuous, especially since she was merely a hostage kept by His Highness.
The man lying on the recliner frowned upon hearing the sound, instinctively gripping Ruan Yang's wrist tightly, his sinister eyes fixed on her.
Ruan Yang was restrained, her palm pressed directly against the man's chest, warm, dry, and something vibrant stirring beneath its thickness.
It seemed like this was the first time she had ever so openly touched a man.
Soon, a throbbing pain shot through her wrist, and tears welled up in Ruan Yang's eyes: "It hurts..."
Hearing the sweet, coquettish voice, Ning Xian didn't let go; instead, he tightened his grip and asked with a smile, "What did you call me?"
Ruan Yang glanced helplessly at Lan Rong in the distance, her confidence waning: "Husband...aren't I your Hengniang?"
Ning Xian carefully examined Ruan Yang. Her hair was piled high like clouds, but without any accessories. Her fair, porcelain-like face was flushed red, and her clear, doe-like eyes stared at him without moving.
The day I picked it up, it was so dirty it was unbearable to look at. Now that it's been washed clean, it's not so bad. Lu Wenjin usually eats quite well.
The only way to keep her identity a secret from others and prevent Ruan Yang from suspecting it was to have her claim to be her mistress.
The woman seemed to accept the identity he had fabricated for her very quickly.
Ning Xian snapped out of her daze, pinched Ruan Yang's slightly bruised hand, and waved it in the air: "Oh, it's you."
He recalled her tender moments with Lu Wenjin and scoffed, "Does Hengniang have any other man in her heart besides me?"
Ruan Yang fell silent. She couldn't remember anything about her past with the man in front of her. Looking at her pitiful wrist, she wondered if she had cheated on him? Was he jealous and angry?
Ruan Yang said nervously, "No! Hengniang only likes you, young master. There is no one else besides you."
The man before her was her only support. Whether the maids treated her well or not depended entirely on the young master's mood. Even if she didn't want to accept that she was a mistress, she still had to appease him.
"Is it really just me?"
A gentle breeze ruffled the girl's hair. Seeing her troubled expression, Ning Xian couldn't help but lift her chin. If he could make Ruan willingly become a hostage and abandon her family and husband for him, it seemed more interesting than forcing her.
If Lu Wenjin knew that his beloved wife had fallen in love with someone else and no longer wanted him, he would probably be heartbroken and furious.
Ruan Yang trembled: "Really."
"Just saying it doesn't count, so how can we prove it?"
Ning Xian, in a playful mood, stood up and pinched Ruan Yang's cheek: "How about this, you go and wash yourself clean, come and serve me tonight, and if you make me happy, I'll forgive you for now."
Ruan Yang froze on the spot: "...What?"
Ruan Yang couldn't refute it. It was only right for her to serve her husband as a mistress. But she never expected it to happen so quickly. It was only the first day after she woke up, and this man was already so impatient with her.
If she was willing to be a mistress before she lost her memory, then this man must have had some extraordinary qualities besides being rich and handsome. But she never expected it to be that kind of thing.
Now that she has lost her memory, what's the difference between being intimate with a man she's only met once?
Ruan Yang couldn't accept it.
Seeing that she looked like she was about to cry, Ning Xian laughed and said, "What, you don't want to?"
Ruan Yang remained silent.
Seeing this, Ning Xian threw the bone ring on her finger in front of Ruan Yang and said gently, "Whether you want to or not depends on Aheng's wishes. Anyway, I will wash it clean and wait for Aheng. I will not force Aheng."
Ruan Yang picked up the bone ring that was spinning in circles on the ground. The bone had a dense network of fine pores. She wondered what kind of animal it belonged to.
Lan Rong was startled by Ruan Yang again. She looked at the human bone ring in the girl's palm and shuddered, but she couldn't bear to tell her the truth. So she whispered to dissuade her, "Good girl, listen to me. Come back with me to bathe and burn incense. It wouldn't be good to keep the young master waiting."
...
The warm yellow candlelight flickered, and the steamy vapor filled the small bathroom.
Ruan Yang buried herself deep in the warm hot spring. She stirred the few petals floating on the surface, trying to accept her identity. Her name was Du Heng, the daughter of an ordinary hunter, and the young master Ji was her husband.
It's perfectly normal for a married couple to do that kind of thing; she just has amnesia.
"Madam, it's getting late."
Ruan Yang heard Lan Rong urging him from outside the screen, took a deep breath, and knew that delaying would be futile.
She slowly got up, tied her clothes and hung up her sachet. She looked at the unfamiliar face in the mirror, trying hard to find a trace of familiarity that belonged to "Du Heng", but to no avail.
Ruan Yang asked, "During the days I've been bedridden, has anyone from my family come to visit me?"
Lan Rong became alert: "Yes, Madam's mother came and even went to the temple to ask for a lucky bag for you."
Ruan Yang was eager to confirm her identity, so she deliberately probed, "Then I'd like to go home in a few days to visit in person, is that alright?"
"If the young master permits, of course."
Looking at the girl's still somewhat unsteady legs, Lan Rong suddenly felt a pang of heartache.
His Highness killed her clansmen and then intended to use her to annihilate Bashu. Now she has broken her head and is being taken advantage of in a muddle.
But then she thought again that the late Empress was killed by the current Empress Ruan Zhuoyin. When His Majesty was healthy, the Ruan family framed the Duke of Dingguo for embezzlement, which almost caused the destruction of His Highness's maternal clan, the Ji family.
He had a deep-seated hatred for the murder of his mother, and an irreconcilable enmity for the near extermination of his clan.
It is not an exaggeration for Your Highness to hate Lady Ruan even more.
She sighed, "Madam, remember this. You must listen to the young master later. Most importantly, don't cry or make a fuss, or you'll spoil the fun."
Pushing open the bathroom door, one finds a corridor leading to Ningxian's bedroom, with the night breeze carrying the scent of water and grass.
Lan Rong escorted the person to the backyard and then tactfully withdrew, leaving Ruan Yang alone in the same spot.
As she tentatively stepped inside, a short, suppressed groan suddenly came from the corner of the wall, accompanied by the faint "plop" sound of a sharp object piercing flesh.
Ruan Yang froze, watching as the corpse fell to the ground, blood still dripping from its mouth, its unusually large eyes meeting hers.
The man with his back to him said to his subordinates, "Send more people to guard the area. Lu Wenjin will definitely send more people to investigate."
After speaking, Ning Xian took the handkerchief handed to her by the guard and carefully wiped the blood off her hands.
Ruan Yang cowered behind the wall, barely daring to breathe. His actions of killing and wiping away blood were fluid and effortless, suggesting he was a seasoned killer.
Her husband was not at all the gentle man she had seen during the day. He dared to treat human life as worthless and did not seem to be an ordinary rich young master.
She tapped her head in frustration. Good heavens, she must have been so foolish before she lost her memory. How could she have married a murderous monster?
Ning Xian's hearing was exceptionally sharp; he had already heard the rustling footsteps behind him. Now, the woman seemed to have witnessed him committing murder and was trembling with fear.
He chuckled, wiped the dagger clean, and put it back in his sleeve. He then silently walked behind Ruan Yang, bent down, and patted her shoulder.
"Ah Heng smells so good after your bath today, but why are you sitting here instead of obediently waiting for me on the couch?"
Ruan Yang screamed in shock. Seeing his nonchalant expression, she realized he probably didn't know she had witnessed him kill someone. She shook her head, trembling, "Yes, it's because Aheng missed you so much, she couldn't wait to see you..."
To make her lie more convincing, she opened her trembling arms and wrapped them around the man's waist, whispering, "Aheng has been asleep for so long, my husband must have missed her, right?"
Ning Xian didn't move. He smelled the fragrance of orchids emanating from Ruan Yang's hair. The warmth from the girl's body quickly seeped through her clothes to his chest, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
He grasped Ruan Yang's shoulder and said with a smile, "How about we do it here?"
Ruan Yang couldn't keep up the act any longer. Her face darkened instantly. In the courtyard? Maids and servants were constantly passing by. This was too indecent!
But the man in front of her was extremely calm, and she realized that this might not be the first time he had done this.
No, not here.
Ruan Yang was terrified, but then she remembered Lan Rong's instructions not to disobey him, so she said, "Husband, let's go somewhere else. It's very cold here, and there are a lot of mosquitoes."
Ning Xian chuckled coldly, then released Ruan Yang and pointed to the gutted hen on the kitchen stove: "What I mean is to help Aheng make roast chicken here."
"What on earth is Ah Heng thinking about all day long?"
Ruan Yang glanced at the completed scaffold and said happily, "Is that all?"
Ning Xian glanced disdainfully at Ruan Yang's petite figure, her phoenix eyes narrowing slightly as she coldly said, "Otherwise what? I'm making dinner for Aheng, what is Aheng afraid of?"
Ruan Yang breathed a sigh of relief, glanced down and saw Ning Xian's accidentally cut finger. With a flattering look, she sucked on the man's injured finger and then bandaged the wound with a handkerchief.
"Alright, my husband's hand is injured and it's inconvenient for him to work, so I'll take care of the chicken in the kitchen."
Ning Xian felt a stinging pain in his numb fingertips. His hand froze in mid-air as he looked at the exquisitely bandaged handkerchief and snorted coldly.
Ruan Nu was indeed born with a seductive charm, and knew how to use such despicable tricks. No wonder that young lad Lu Wenjin couldn't resist her temptation.
Seeing Ruan Yang walk away, he immediately tore off the blood-stained handkerchief, threw it into a corner, and went back to his room to rest.
Ruan Yang hurriedly prepared a meal for the man. Watching his departing figure, she secretly vowed that she would not stay in this courtyard full of wronged spirits. She would run away and see that man named Lu Wenjin!
Otherwise, if she stays here, she could very well be the next one to fall silently into a pool of blood!
A note from the author:
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On the surface, the male lead is a seductive vixen!
In reality: She actually looks quite cute...
The little sister saw the male lead: [Pleading][Please][Burning with sobs]
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